The present invention relates to a vehicle, and an apparatus for and a method of controlling traveling of the vehicle. It more particularly relates to a vehicle controlling its traveling conditions and an apparatus for and a method of controlling the traveling, upon recognition of traveling environment ahead of the vehicle.
As a known art making it possible to change traveling conditions of an own vehicle according to traveling conditions of a vehicle in front or traveling conditions intended to produce by the driver, there is an art disclosed in the publication of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-47862.
In the publication, there is disclosed a method to select either allowing the vehicle to travel in conformity with the traveling conditions of a vehicle in front or allowing the vehicle to travel according to the intention of the driver by switching operation of the driver, whereby the traveling mode is switch-selected accordingly. The present invention is such that the switching between the above two traveling modes is left to driver""s judgment so that traveling can be made according to the traveling mode intended by the driver.
According to the prior art, when the driver has erroneously switched the vehicle into the mode to follow-up a vehicle in front at a point to turn into or off a highway or an intersecting point and if there is no vehicle traveling in front, the vehicle is accelerated so as to reach a preset target vehicle speed and this tends to annoy the driver or unavoidably cause an accident.
Further it has been an important problem to establish a technology to secure safety of an own vehicle by detecting the distance between the own vehicle and a vehicle (including an obstacle) in front and the relative velocity therebetween. In the aforesaid technology, it is essential to unite achievement of traveling as intended by the driver (a satisfactory response of linear acceleration corresponding to the tread amount of the acceleration pedal) and insurance of safety (prevention of a collision). However, as far as traveling of vehicles is concerned, the areas where the mode of traveling mentioned first above is applicable are considerably limited as yet, i.e., it is applicable only on high ways, excepting toll houses and points for vehicles to turn into or off the high ways. However, switching between the aforesaid two traveling modes can only be made through the switching operation by the driver. In the event that an erroneous switching operation is made, it is unavoidable that unexpected acceleration or deceleration by the driver is produced or an accident takes place.
The present invention has as its object the provision of a vehicle capable, in an environment or an area where traveling control of a vehicle such as vehicle following-up control, of changing the traveling control (including stopping of the vehicle) to thereby prevent an accident to the vehicle, and an apparatus for and a method of controlling traveling of the vehicle.
The above object is achieved by a vehicle comprising: an engine; a brake; and a control apparatus; wherein the control apparatus controls the engine or the brake on the basis of the distance from a vehicle in front, and an own vehicle on this side, while the same is in an area, changes the mode of the control.
Further, the above object is achieved by a vehicle comprising: an engine; a brake; and a control apparatus; wherein the control apparatus controls the engine or the brake on the basis of the distance from a vehicle in front, and an own vehicle changes the mode of the control on the basis of information about the road ahead of the own vehicle.
Further, the above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling apparatus mounted on a vehicle for controlling an engine or a brake of the vehicle on the basis of the distance from a vehicle in front and changing the mode of the control when the vehicle has reached an area.
Further, the above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling apparatus mounted on a vehicle for controlling an engine or a brake of the vehicle on the basis of the distance from a vehicle in front and changing the mode of the control on the basis of information about the road ahead of the vehicle.
Further, the above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling apparatus comprising: control means for controlling at least one of an engine, a speed change gear, and a brake on the basis of a recognition signal of the traveling environment ahead of a vehicle; map storage means for storing map information; current position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle; and stop means for stopping the control means when it is known that the vehicle has reached an area according to the map information and the current position.
The above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling apparatus comprising: a first traveling mode controlling at least one of an engine, a speed change gear, and a brake on the basis of a recognition signal of the traveling environment ahead of a vehicle; a second traveling mode controlling at least one of the engine, the speed change gear, and the brake on the basis of a signal generated by operation of the driver of the vehicle; mode switching means for selecting and carrying out either of the two traveling modes; map storage means for storing map information; and current position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle; characterized in that the mode switching means selects the second traveling mode when it is known that the vehicle has reached an area according to the map information and the current position.
Further the above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling method of recognizing the traveling environment ahead of a vehicle and controlling at least one of an engine, a speed change gear, and a brake on the basis of the recognition, the vehicle travel controlling method comprising the steps of: detecting the current position of the vehicle; and stopping the control when it is known that the vehicle has reached an area according to map information in storage and the current position.
Further the above object is achieved by a vehicle travel controlling method of selecting and executing either a first traveling mode in which the traveling environment ahead of a vehicle is recognized and at least one of an engine, a speed change gear, and a brake is controlled on the basis of the recognition or a second mode in which at least one of the engine, the speed change gear, and the brake is controlled on the basis of a signal generated by operation of the driver in the vehicle, the vehicle travel controlling method characterized by comprising the steps of:
detecting the current position of the vehicle; and
selecting the second traveling mode when it is known that the vehicle has reached an area according to map information in storage and the current position.